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“After I’m gone, I don’t want you to be alone.”
“I won’t be alone. I have Laila and Cora.”
“I know, but eventually you’ll need more than them. I want you to find someone who loves you and loves our girls.”
“Rachel, I don’t want to talk about this right now. You’re still here. That’s all that matters.”
“We need to talk about it. I don’t want to die thinking that you’re going to be a lonely old man, puttering around the house with no one to talk to.”
“You’re not dying today.”
“Maybe not, but I’m going to die soon.”
“I really don’t want to have this conversation. You are the only woman for me.”
“Owen,” she said, as her eyes began filling with tears, “please.”
“I can’t fathom the idea of spending my life with anyone but you. I can’t even consider that thought right now.”
“Just promise me something.”
“What?”
“Just be open to it. Someday. Maybe it’s in a year, maybe it’s in fifteen years. I just don’t want you to be alone forever.”
I shook my head at her, trying to get the thought out of my mind. At that time, there was no way I could ever picture myself with anyone else. Rachel was the only woman I would ever love, and I knew that would never change. How could I ever let someone else into my bed? Or into my home with my daughters? It was maddening that she wanted to have this conversation, but I could see from the pain in her eyes that it was obviously important to her.
“Okay,” I said with a sigh. “I promise I’ll be open to it. But that doesn’t mean I’ll go out looking for anyone.”
“I guess that’s good enough for now,” she said, wiping away a tear.
I hadn’t thoughtabout that night in a long time. The conversation was always at the back of my mind, but I hadn’t realized how vivid the memory still was. I hoped Skye was someone Rachel would approve of. She was kind and loving, she was smart and patient, and above anything else, she loved Laila and Cora as much as I could ever expect from anyone.
“Rachel,” I said quietly.
I hadn’t spoken out loud to her in several years, but now seemed as good a time as any. I felt a little bit silly, but it was the only way I could think to deal with how I was feeling at that moment.
“Rachel,” I said again. “I will always love you. You will always be Laila and Cora’s mother, and none of us will ever forget you.”
I paused for a moment and wandered over to the window, glancing out at the snowy landscape. Rachel would have loved it here.
“But I think I’m in love again, and I want to make sure you’re okay with it. You probably heard me talk about her before. She was my best friend growing up. Her name is Skye, and she’s—well—she’s amazing.”
I stopped again for a moment, debating how much I wanted to say. The logical part of my brain knew that she wasn’t really here; she wasn’t listening to me. But the emotional side of my brain needed the reassurance that she was okay with this.
“I just want you to know that no matter what happens between me and Skye, she will never replace you. I have come to realize there’s room for both of you in my heart, and I never thought that would be possible.”
Before I could say anything else, a gust of wind shook the house. It sent an avalanche of snow sliding off the roof, but when I looked over at the other chalet, it didn’t look like anything had happened.
A flock of birds flew overhead, and I realized it was the first time I’d seen any birds since we had arrived. I wasn’t usually a superstitious man, but I didn’t know how else to explain what had just happened.
I marched over to Skye’s chalet, opened the front door and scanned the room until my eyes found her. I raced across the room to her, wrapped my arms around her, and kissed her like it was the last kiss I was ever going to get.
She was clearly surprised and a bit hesitant at first, but she gave in and kissed me back, wrapping her hands around the back of my neck.
“Eww!” I heard a small voice say from behind me.
Skye laughed as we parted, and I looked down to see Mae and Eva watching us intently. As I took in the rest of the room, I realized that the whole family was there. But if this was going to be a real thing, they were going to find out sooner or later.
